Nigerian striker Tolu Arokodare opened his goalscoring account for Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday night, netting in a convincing 2–0 win over Everton in the Carabao Cup third round.
The former Genk and Amiens frontman came off the bench in the 68th minute and made his mark late in the game with a calm finish in the 87th minute to seal Wolves’ progression to the next round of the competition. It was a confident display from the 24-year-old, who had faced pressure to deliver since making his deadline day move to Wolves earlier this month.
Signed on a four-year contract with an option for one more, Arokodare had yet to score in his previous three substitute appearances in the Premier League, but showed composure and awareness in taking his first real chance in English football.
The goal came after a flowing Wolves move from midfield, with Arokodare timing his run perfectly before chipping the advancing keeper to the delight of the home crowd at Molineux.
Speaking after the match, Wolves coach Vítor Pereira commended the Nigerian forward’s attitude and work ethic: “Tolu has been patient, he’s worked very hard in training and deserved this moment. His goal was pure instinct, and I think there’s more to come,” Pereira said in the post-match press conference.
Arokodare himself expressed his joy after scoring:
— Tolu Arokodare
Arokodare, a product of Box2Box FC Academy in Nigeria, has had an interesting rise through Latvia, France, Belgium, and now England and many Nigerian fans are watching closely to see if he can become the next Super Eagles striker to make waves in the Premier League.
With Wolves facing a congested fixture schedule in the coming weeks, the Nigerian forward could get more minutes to prove his worth and stake a claim for a regular starting spot.
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